Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F1/00—Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
  • G03F1/68—Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50
  • G03F1/82—Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
  • G03F1/84—Inspecting
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
  • G03F7/70491—Information management, e.g. software; Active and passive control, e.g. details of controlling exposure processes or exposure tool monitoring processes
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
  • G03F7/70491—Information management, e.g. software; Active and passive control, e.g. details of controlling exposure processes or exposure tool monitoring processes
  • G03F7/70525—Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
  • G03F7/70491—Information management, e.g. software; Active and passive control, e.g. details of controlling exposure processes or exposure tool monitoring processes
  • G03F7/70541—Tagging, i.e. hardware or software tagging of features or components, e.g. using tagging scripts or tagging identifier codes for identification of chips, shots or wafers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
  • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
  • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
  • G03F7/70691—Handling of masks or workpieces
  • G03F7/70733—Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
  • G03F7/70741—Handling masks outside exposure position, e.g. reticle libraries

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for controlling the data flow when using reticles of a semiconductor component production according to the preamble of claim 1 and a device for performing the method according to claim 15.
• Numerous complex structures are applied to a semiconductor material in the manufacture of semiconductor components.
• exposure processes are used in which the complex structures are applied to the semiconductor material by means of reticles.
• the number of reticles required for the exposure increases rapidly with increasing complexity.
• the right reticle must be in the right place for every step of the manufacturing process.
• the instruction contains information about the layout of the semiconductor component to be manufactured and that
• the reticles are produced as chrome structures on a quartz glass substrate. Control marks, structure widths and distances are also measured at predefined measuring points on the reticle. Based on this measurement data, a measurement report is created, which is handed over to the client together with the reticle.
• the present invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus with which the use of reticles in a semiconductor component production can be controlled efficiently.
• the production control of the reticles is improved according to the invention in that a structured reticle data record is uniquely assigned to the reticles, the content of the reticle data record being automatically changed and / or supplemented as a function of the production process of a semiconductor component.
• a structured reticle data record is uniquely assigned to the reticles, the content of the reticle data record being automatically changed and / or supplemented as a function of the production process of a semiconductor component.
• Reticle data records are stored and processed in a central data processing system.
• the use of the reticles in connection with other manufacturing information can be processed by the central control body.
• the method has a particularly advantageous effect if the reticle data records contain manufacturing information for the reticles, in particular via a chip layout and via core data. This enables efficient, error-free ordering of reticles, whereby the order data remains available, especially for repeat orders.
• the reticle data records have information about measuring points on the reticles and / or data about test measurements on the reticles. This information is usually generated during the production of the reticles, but is only used later in production. This is precisely where the advantage of the structured reticle data record can be seen, which can be used in different phases of production.
• the reticle data records have information about at least one measurement protocol of the reticles. This measurement protocol is also needed later in production and is made available there by the reticle data record.
• control program for test devices of the reticles is automatically created by the central data processing system based on the reticle data records. This eliminates the time-consuming and error-prone manual creation of control programs.
• the reticles are automatically generated by the central database system for programs for measuring and testing devices for the reticles. This is a major advantage of central information management using a reticle data record.
• a reticle data record contains information about the identity of the
• Reticle a release number, the current location of the reticle, the current use of the reticle, the condition, the duration of use of the reticle and / or the production history of the reticle.
• the central data processing system also controls the use of the reticles in production as a function of the information in the reticle data records.
• the reticles automatically feeds a preventive inspection and / or cleaning, causes storage in a storage container and / or a reordering of reticles. This avoids bottlenecks or production downtimes.
• the automatic exchange and / or the automatic processing of the reticle data record between a reticle manufacturer and a semiconductor component manufacturer reduces the possibility of errors and simplifies production planning.
• the central database system automatically creates tags for reticles and / or containers for reticles depending on the reticle data record.
• Reticles can be handled individually, in so-called single pods or in multiple pods, pods generally being provided with a tag (marking).
• This tag can be provided with reticle information (e.g. barcode of the reticles contained in the pod) or with an identification number.
• reticle logistics can be controlled within the production, if Reticle pods are used. The movement of these pods is tracked with the central data processing system and from there also serves for pod control (manual or automatic movement of pods to certain systems).
• the object is also achieved by a device for carrying out the method according to the invention.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the data flows of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.
• Fig. 1 three levels I, II, III are shown, which play a role in the production of semiconductor devices in connection with the inventive method.
• the first level I relates to the production of the reticles themselves, not shown here.
• the second level II relates to databases 1, 5, which are part of the central one
• the third level III relates to the control of the use of the reticles in the manufacture of the semiconductor components.
• the reticle order data including the specification limits, are entered by the client into the reticle database 1 of the central data processing system 20, stored there and an order database 2 via the Internet or another data line Transfer reticle manufacturers. Particularly easy processing of such orders can be achieved via web portals.
• Reticles including the core data, form the first part of a structured reticle data record that is logically uniquely linked to a reticle.
• a reticle data record is also understood here as a link between different files, which can be arranged on different computers. However, these files are all logically assigned to a reticle data record, which is logically coupled to the reticle. Even with such a distributed but logically connected structure, it can be achieved that the
• Information regarding the reticle is centrally accessible and evaluable.
• This reticle data record is stored in the reticle database 1 and kept up-to-date, parts of the reticle data record being used by other units, e.g. manufacturing. Conversely, each unit involved in the production of the semiconductor components can access the reticle data set of the reticles in order to e.g. to find certain reticles.
• the reticle order data are transmitted from the order database 2 to a core database 3, the order data still being linked to manufacturer data of the reticle manufacturer.
• the kernel data are stored in a kernel database 3 and the central reticle database 1.
• the structured reticle data record is automatically supplemented with the corresponding new data.
• the won Results are stored in a test database 4 and also transferred to the reticle database 1.
• the reticle data record of the reticle in question is in turn supplemented there. The further use of these protocols is described below.
• the reticle database 1 is part of the central one
• the manufacturing database 6 controls, among other things. the use of the reticles in production, i.e. when, where, which reticle is used.
• the central reticle database 1 which has an overview of the use of the reticles due to the stored reticle data records, has the data management via this reticle warehouse 7.
• the use of the reticles in production is controlled by the production database 6. This also accesses the reticle data records that are assigned to the reticles.
• the manufacturing database 6 determines when, which reticle is used where. There is a connection to all exposure units in the production line. The manufacturing database also automatically records how long a
• This information is also Part of the reticle data set that is assigned to each reticle.
• the preventive controls can be controlled automatically on the basis of the data on the duration of use stored in the production database 5.
• the manufacturing database 5 controls the process in such a way that a replacement for the reticle to be tested is available so as not to disrupt the manufacturing process.
• the central reticle database 1 also has a logistics database with which the reordering of reticles is controlled. Using the reticle data record of a reticle, the database can determine when the planned service life of a reticle has expired and automatically place a replacement order in good time beforehand. This is done via the order database 2. The necessary data for the reorder can be
• Reticle data record can be taken.
• An increased number of reticles can also be ordered via the logistics database if changes in the production process require it.
• the reticle data record contains information about measurement and testing processes during the manufacture of the reticle. Since these protocols are available in a machine-readable, uniform format, this data can be used in production to automatically program the corresponding test systems. The test systems thus receive based on a
• Reticle e.g. Information about the layout, measuring points, etc., so that the inspection processes can be implemented efficiently.
• test routines have changed, the changes can be defined centrally and automatically implemented decentrally in production.
• a reticle data set according to the invention is the area-wide use of the reticles when different systems exist in a semiconductor production. If possible, the reticles should be used on any existing machine if possible.
• the handling system described here with a reticle data record enables in combination with a
• Database system 20 which contains lot-related production data on critical dimension and overlay, a dynamic regulation of the manufacturing process. With structure widths and distances that are close to the structure transfer limit with the inclusion of the phase (phase mask), an efficient production becomes possible in the first place. Another aspect is a safe manufacturing process. Reticles can be released or blocked for production at a central point. If a reticle is marked as blocked for production in the database, wafer exposures are prevented online with this reticle without delay. This avoids rework or scrap.
• the embodiment of the invention is not limited to the preferred exemplary embodiments specified above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the method and the device according to the invention even in the case of fundamentally different types.

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• 2001
  • 2001-08-30 DE DE10143711A patent/DE10143711A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2002
  • 2002-08-22 TW TW091119003A patent/TW546539B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-08-28 KR KR10-2004-7002966A patent/KR20040044506A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-08-28 US US10/488,486 patent/US20050090925A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-08-28 WO PCT/DE2002/003196 patent/WO2003025678A2/de active Application Filing
  • 2002-08-28 JP JP2003529246A patent/JP2005502925A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-08-28 EP EP02798682A patent/EP1423759A2/de not_active Withdrawn

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